Photo of Pingyao, Shanxi province. Akhil Parashar / For chinadaily.com.cn

My advice: If you want to enjoy a beautiful cityscape, climb the wall at sunset. Sitting there with a glass of wine and watching the sun roll behind ancient roofs was a remarkable experience for me.

The people of Pingyao are friendly. You can always count on help, even if you don't know Chinese. A surprising number speak English well — at least enough to direct me where to go and what to see. Even those who didn’t speak any English (mostly older people) still tried to help, using gestures, loud articulation and laughter. It was funny both for me and for them.